FACT CHECK: Mini fire trucks in viral posts not purchased by DILG

The DILG says the mini fire trucks were bought by the Nueva Ecija local government and are being falsely linked to its planned procurement of fire trucks worth P10 million each

AT A GLANCE

• The claim that the DILG procured mini fire trucks worth P10 million each is false.
• DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla clarified that the mini fire trucks shown in the viral posts were purchased by the Nueva Ecija local government, not the DILG.
• The DILG plans to buy 1,500 fire trucks from South Korea at a reduced cost of P10 million each to address the country's fire truck shortage.

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Claim: The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) procured mini fire trucks worth P10 million each.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The YouTube post by social media user YTMANPH, which has now gained over 250,000 views with about 1,000 reactions, is spreading false information about the supposed DILG procurement. 

The video reel shows local officials testing out the mini fire response vehicle, with the text overlay, “10 million fire truck testing.” It also includes a photo of DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla with the text, “Di mo kami maloko Remulla! Pano naging 10M halaga nito?”

(You cannot fool us, Remulla! How did this become worth 10 million?)

Similar posts are also circulating on Facebook, showing images of the small three-wheeled fire vehicles and implying that these were the units allegedly purchased by the DILG for P10 million each.

The facts: Remulla clarified in an interview that the circulating photos and videos of the mini fire trucks were purchased by the Nueva Ecija local government, and are not the units that the DILG intends to purchase. 

“Ang bumili non Nueva Ecija. Ang binibili namin galing South Korea, P10 million each, 750 gallons capacity. Ayun yata wala pang 100 gallons, eh,” he said.

(Nueva Ecija procured those vehicles. What we intend to buy is from South Korea, P10 million each, 750 gallons capacity. [Those mini vehicles] seem to have less than 100 gallons capacity.)

In July 2026, six three-wheeled fire response units were unveiled by the local government of San Antonio, Nueva Ecija, to allow emergency response in narrow alleys. 

These are different from the fire trucks that the interior department intends to procure. In a press release on October 8, the DILG shared that it plans to purchase 1,500 fire trucks in 2027 to address the country’s fire truck shortage and replace aging units. 

Remulla stressed the reduced cost per unit of P10 million down from P16 million. This will result in P9 billion worth of savings for the government, he said. 

“Kung dati P16 million per fire truck, ngayon P10 million na lang kada fire truck. Tanggal ang corruption diyan. Ang savings natin 1,500 [fire trucks] times 6 (million pesos) — P9 billion pesos ang savings natin para sa [Bureau of Fire Protection],” he said.

(Previously, each fire truck cost P16 million; now it will be P10 million each. Corruption is gone. We save 1,500 [fire trucks] times 6 (million pesos) — that’s P9 billion pesos in savings for the BFP.) 

Both the BFP and the DILG have made clarificatory posts on their official pages differentiating between the LGU-procured mini fire trucks and the units the DILG intends to purchase from South Korea. 

Debunked: Rappler has fact-checked similar false claims about the mini fire response vehicles:

• FACT CHECK: Viral photos of fire, ambulance trikes are AI-generated
• FACT CHECK: Quezon City disputes claims of DILG fire truck, ambulance turnover

— Axel Cainglet/Rappler.com

Axel John Cainglet is a political science student at the University of the Philippines Manila. An Aries Rufo Journalism Fellow for 2026, he is also the editor-in-chief of The Manila Collegian.

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